Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1887-05-14
JUVENILE RAr.cAT0AFRs.
Boys In Pennsylvania Mines Who
Discount the Pied Piper OF Hamelfn.

Boys In Pennsylvania Mines Who
Discount the Pied Piper OF Hamelin.
A Wilkesbarre correspondent CT 4hs
Philadelphia Neaos writes: Boys are
employ cd In various occupations in the
anthracite coal mines. A glance at the
payroll of any big company reveals
the fact how useful they are. Run
YOUR eve down the column healed
occupation" and every once in while
you see the word rat catcher" As
this Is as distinct feature Of employ
ment as the driver. e-picker. door
tender and so on, 1t excites no particular
attention among those who understand
it The rat-oatcher is paid 80 cents a
day. and his special duty is to guard
the bins where the feed for the mules
Is stored against the invasion of the ro-
dents. The mine rat Is as large as his
brother Of the wharf. He sub
sists upon the refuse Of the feed-troughs
nd the crumbs that drop from the fru-
gal luncheons Of the miners. They in
habit all parts Of the oslliery and find
their way into the crevices far beyond
the each Of the miner. They are use
ful in one way. however. and for this
reason are fed and protected by many
who labor in the dark aul dis.
tant chambers Of the subterrauean
depths The rat instinctively knows
where crush from above Is to come,
and when q miner sees him leaping
about him or hears them scampering
off along the gangways toward the
shaft he knows something is wrong
and follows them at once. There are
many instances on record where the
rats were the first to give warning Of
danger from which men have fled in
safety and without which they might
have persisted.
Naturally the professional rat-catch-
er grows fond Of his exciting pastime.
and, like the hunter. tries to bag all
the game be can. Recently q spirit Of
enthusiasm broke out between several
rat-catchers employed in the Diamond
and Empire collieries. which was
kindled into flame by the offer OF
prize Of IS to the boy who would
slaughter the most rats in thirty days.
Rat Catcher Dick" little red-head-
ed fellow not over ten or dozen years
old, had long been recognized as the
champion. He is employed in the En-
pire and had made n record Of killing
800 rats in six days. This had never
been beaten. Indeed the only approxi-
mate work had been done by "Blinky
Bill" . twelve-year-old, of the
Diamond, who had u record of Ell.
When the prize was offered the boys
all set to work with will. 1t was
stipulated that they were to do the
work separately and unsided. Judges
were quietly appointed to see that the
articles OF agreement Were doae fairly
and carried out During the progress
Of the slaughter Dick" Of the EN-
pire, was the favorite In the pools.
"Blinky Bill' selling second There
were other lads in the contest. but 1t
was generally agreed that one of these
two would carry of the prize.
As the days passed the miners got
deeply interested. Even certain sport
ing men in this city paid more or less
attention to the rat-killing contest. aud
when the final weeks run was on every
gambler in town was backing one Of
the boys. News from the Diamond and
Empire was anxiously awaited in some
of.the saloons each night as to the count.
The reports were very conflicting. All
sorts of stories were set afoat as to the
record Of "Dick" and Bill" Both
the lads kept their own molths shut
close. Nobody could get a word out
Of either, and nobody really knew what
each was doing. Even the watchers
were in the dark. The contest closed
on Monday night. and great crowds
focked into several sporting places IN
town to hear the result. The judges
gave sworn testimony Of the count.
The score for the the thirty days kill.
ing stood as follows: Dick. 2,419; Bill.
1.956-an average of eighty rats day
for Dick and sixty-five for Bill. Dicks
! biggest week was the last. when he
killed no less than els rodents A
careful estimate places the weight Of
the rats slaught cred by Dick at over
four tons. A purse was made up and
presented to ''Blinky Bill" Dicks
method, 1t is said. Of catching the rats
was by fixing barrels along the runways
and by setting lines with baited hooks
for them. He is proud of the cham
pionship. and another match will be ar
ranged soon between the two boys.
The other lads who entered were
practically ont of the race the first
week. The miners who won on little
Dick all Clipped in something for him
subsequently, and it is said he carried
home to his widowed mother last night
nearly 500.
An Afterthoupht-